The Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) announced via social media June 27 that visiting hours at acute care facilities in the region have been expanded.
Effective June 29, visiting hours are from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day. Patients are still only allowed one pre-identified visitor and visitors must be screened before entering and practise physical distancing while inside the facility.
NRHA acute care facilities once again began allowing visitors June 10 after having suspended visiting earlier in the spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visitors are strongly encouraged to wear non-medical masks.
Outdoor visits are not currently allowed at NRHA acute care facilities because of the risk posed to patients and the facility as a result of the unknown nature of the visitors’ contacts and possible exposure to COVID-19.
Designated visitors must provide their names and contact information for the purposes of public health contract tracing if a COVID-19 case investigation is required.
Visitors can only visit once a day for a maximum of two hours and will not be allowed to leave the hospital and come back.
For patients who have been in hospital for 14 days and who are not expected to be discharged in the next 72 hours, a second designated visitor will be identified and allowed to visit them for the remainder of their stay in the hospital.
Food may be brought to patients’ rooms in wipeable containers that must be taken home at the end of the visits. Newspapers, books, toys, electronic games, plants and flowers can also be brought to patients for their use only and cleaning and disinfecting of these items is required.
Visitors who violate any of the rules may be prevented from paying future visits.
